Geophysical Constraints on Decarbonized Systems—Building Spatio-Temporal Uncertainties into Future Electricity Grid Planning

Purpose of Review Future electricity grids will be characterized by the high penetration of renewables to support the decarbonization process. Yet, this transition will further expose grids to a broad spectrum of geophysical forces, such as weather and climate or the availability of land and minerals. Here, we synthesize the current body of knowledge on the relationship between geophysical constraints and electricity grid planning. Recent Findings We show that there have been promising advances in the data, methods, and modelling tools needed to incorporate the effect of geophysical constraints on demand, resource availability, and grid operations. However, current research efforts are typically focused on the effect of a single constraint, thereby lacking a broader view of the problem. Summary More system-specific and finer-scale analyses are necessary to better understand how spatio-temporal variability in geophysical forces affects grid planning. Moreover, we need a broader focus on the multi-sectoral implications of decarbonization efforts, including the societal consequences of grid management decisions. Importantly, all these efforts are challenged by the computational requirements of existing power system models, which often limit our ability to characterize uncertainty and scale analyses across larger domains.